High-speed PCI Interface System and A Reset Method Thereof

ABSTRACT

A high-speed PCI interface system with reset function and a reset method thereof are provided. The interface system comprises a host controller chipset, at least one high-speed PCI device and at least one reset signal generator. While a hot rest package cannot be executed by the high-speed PCI device, the host controller chipset can respectively transmit a trigger signal and a PCI reset signal to each corresponding reset signal generator through a trigger signal line and a PCI reset signal line, and further the reset signal generator operates to generate a basic resetting signal. Finally, the basic resetting signal will be transmitted to the corresponding high-speed PCI device through a basic reset signal line such that the system can be used to operate the basic resetting action without restarting power.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a high-speed PCI interface, more particularly to a high-speed PCI interface system with reset function and a reset method thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Since the electrical industry has changed with each passing day, the CPU and chipset are promoting upwards constantly that the transmission speed of the PCI interface is the choke point for the whole speed of the computer system. Now the high-speed PCI (PCI Express) is presented, thereof is having more advantages as fast high-performance bandwidth, advanced power management function, hot plug, point to point transmission and serious connection, which are adopted by user such that the manufacturer develops the related electronic product with the high-speed PCI interface. However, since the software and hardware of the computer system are powerful functions and fast speed, the stable operation thereof is the focus to the user, and every manufacturer strives toward.

Usually while the user is operating the computer, which may meet the computer crash, for example: the high-speed PCI device falls into endless loop or be unable waked up from Suspend to RAM (STR) of the hibernate mode. Now, if the computer system adopts a high-speed PCI device with PCI Express interface, which sends a hot reset package to the unbounded high-speed PCI device that will be again restarting normal coupled with the computer system.

Referring FIG. 1 that is shown of the electricity-coupled diagram of the system with high-speed PCI interface of the prior art. As shown in the figure, the system 10 comprises a north bridge 11 with at least one root port 111, at least one high-speed PCI device 13 and a south bridge 15. When turn on the power, the south bridge 15 can transmit a PCI resetting signal (PCI RST#) to a buffer 112 through a PCI reset signal line 151, and then the buffer 112 can transmit the PCI resetting signal to the high-speed PCI device 13 through a reset signal line 113 such that the system 10 will proceed an initializing action for the high-speed PCI device 13. After the system 10 is finished the initializing action, the user can normally operate the system 10. When the high-speed PCI device 13 fails to communicate with the north bridge 11 normally, the system 10 will adopt the root port 111 for transmitting a hot reset package to the high-speed PCI device 13 through a high-speed PCI bus 117, such that the high-speed PCI device 13 will proceed the initializing action to normally communicate with the north bridge 11 again. However, the high-speed PCI device 13 may not be able to execute the hot reset packet, the only way to reset the high-speed PCI device 13 is to turn off and on the power. In other word, the user wastes much effort but do nothing completely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a high-speed PCI interface system with reset function, comprising: a host controller chipset, comprising at least one root port, used to generate a PCI resetting signal; at least one high-speed PCI device, each of said high-speed PCI devices respectively coupled to said corresponding root port within said host controller chipset through a high-speed PCI bus; and at least one reset signal generator, respectively corresponding with each of said root ports, each of said reset signal generators respectively electricity coupled to said host controller chipset through a PCI reset signal line and a trigger signal line, and electricity coupled to said corresponding high-speed PCI device according to a basic reset signal line; wherein, said reset signal generator for respectively receiving said PCI resetting signal and a triggering signal through said PCI resetting signal line and said trigger signal line, generating a basic resetting signal according to the operation of said PCI resetting signal and said triggering signal, sending said basic resetting signal to said corresponding high-speed PCI device through said basic reset signal line, and then commanding said high-speed PCI device to proceed a basic resetting action.

The present invention also provides a reset method for using the high-speed PCI interface system, comprising the following steps of: a corresponding root port sending out a hot reset package to a high-speed PCI device for proceeding the hot resetting action through a corresponding high-speed PCI bus; determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready, if so, then end; if not, then generating a basic resetting signal to said high-speed PCI device for proceeding a basic resetting action; and again determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready, if so, then end; if not, then again generating a basic resetting signal to said high-speed PCI device for proceeding said basic resetting action, and forming a circulatory process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system with high-speed PCI interface of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of each main signal of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 2, it is a block diagram according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the high-speed PCI interface system 20 of the present invention comprises a host controller chipset 27, at least one high-speed PCI device 23 (PCI Express) and at least one reset signal generator 29.

Wherein, at least one root port 211 is placed within the host controller chipset 27, and each root port 211 is coupled to a corresponding high-speed PCI device 23. Each high-speed PCI device 23 is respectively coupled to the corresponding root port 211 within the host controller chipset 27 through a corresponding high-speed PCI bus 213. In the present embodiment, the numbers of the reset signal generator 29 are corresponding to the numbers of the root port 211, and the reset signal generator 29 and the host controller chipset 27 are separately placed within the motherboard (not shown).

The host controller chipset 27 comprises the general-purpose output pin 255; the numbers of the general-purpose output pin 255 are corresponding to the numbers of the reset signal generator 29, each the general-purpose output pin 255 is respectively coupled to a corresponding input end of each reset signal generator 29 through a corresponding trigger signal line 257, and another input end of each reset signal generator 29 is simultaneously coupled to a PCI reset signal line 251. When the system starts, the host controller chipset 27 can transmit the PCI resetting signal (PCI RST#) to the input end of the reset signal generator 29 through the PCI reset signal line 251, and further the reset signal generator 29 operates to generate a basic resetting signal (PERST#), then which transmits to each high-speed PCI device 23 through the basic reset signal line 291, thus, the system can proceed the basic reset action while the system starting.

Besides, some high-speed PCI device can't normal operating after the system starting and thereof executes the hot reset also invalid, the host controller chipset 27 can adopt the corresponding general-purpose output pin 255 to transmit a triggering signal to the reset signal generator 29 through the trigger signal line 257. Now, the reset signal generator 29 operates the triggering signal to generate a basic resetting signal (PERST#) that will be transmitted to the high-speed PCI device 23, which will proceed the basic resetting action, and then the high-speed PCI device 23 can restore the normal operating state.

In the general computer system, the host controller chipset 27 can often design into the pattern that is consisted of a north bridge 21 and a south bridge 25. The root port 211 is directly placed within the north bridge 21 under the pattern, and the PCI resetting signal (PCI RST#) is transmitted from the south bridge 25 through the PCI reset signal line 251. In addition, each general-purpose output pin 255 is placed above the south bridge 25 and respectively coupled to the corresponding reset signal generator 29 through the corresponding triggering signal line 257.

Reference to FIG. 3, there is shown of the electricity-coupled diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the main structure is approximately the same as the embodiment of shown in FIG. 2. However, the structure of FIG. 3 comprises two high-speed PCI devices 33,34, two reset signal generators 38, 39 and two root ports 311,312 that are placed within the north bridge 31, electricity-coupled way of each corresponding component of the present embodiment and the above-mentioned embodiment are the same, no longer discussed here.

Wherein, the reset signal generators 38, 39 are coupled in parallel and respectively coupled to south bridge 35 through a PCI reset signal line 351, therefore, those can simultaneously receive the PCI resetting signal that is outputted from the south bridge 35. The south bridge 35 comprises the general-purpose output pins 355, 356, and the numbers of the general-purpose output pins 355, 356 are corresponding to the numbers of the reset signal generators 38 and 39. Thus, the reset signal generators 38 and 39 can respectively one to one electricity-coupled to the corresponding general-purpose output pins 355 and 356 through a triggering signal lines 358 and 359.

Moreover, the south bridge 35 can transmit a triggering signal to the corresponding reset signal generator 38 or 39 when any one of the high-speed PCI device 33, 34 happens the problem, the corresponding reset signal generator 38, 39 will transmit a basic resetting signal (PERST#) to the high-speed PCI device 33 or 34 that happens problem, so the high-speed PCI device 33 or 34 can operate the basic resetting action.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown of the electricity-coupled diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in figure, besides the north bridge 41, the main structure of the high-speed PCI interface system 40 of the present embodiment is approximately the same as the embodiment of the FIG. 2. The difference thereof is directly integrated the reset signal generator 49 into the north bridge 41, and the high-speed PCI device 43 is coupled to the root port 411 within the high-speed PCI interface system 40 through a corresponding high-speed PCI bus 213. The reset signal generator 49 can receive the PCI reset signal (PCI RST#) from the south bridge 45 and the triggering signal that is outputted from the corresponding general-purpose output pin 455, and further the reset signal generator 49 generates a basic reset signal (PERST#) that will be transmitted to the corresponding high-speed PCI device 43 through the corresponding basic reset signal line 491 such that the high-speed PCI device 43 can be operate the basic resetting action. Therefore, that will help to reduce the circuit layout size of the high-speed PCI interface system 40 and reach the design idea as light, thin, short and small.

Each reset signal generator (29, 38, 39 or 49) of the above-mentioned can be a and gate respectively, and each high-speed PCI device (23, 33, 34 or 43) is selected from one of a image processing chip, a sound processing chip, a bridge and a complex root port.

Reference to FIG. 5, there is shown of the timing diagram of each main signal of the present invention. As shown in the figure, when the computer system turns on power to operate a starting procedure, besides, the power source leads in initial stage, thus each related circuit is in the unstable state during the T1 transient time. After T1 time end, the system will tend to steady during the T2 time, the system will first proceed the initialize action to each component, and then the south bridge will transmit out the PCI resetting signal.

The PCI reset signal is the low voltage enable signal, such the PCI reset signal is in the low-level voltage state during the T2 time. Now, each triggering signal will be without function, and that is in the high-level voltage state. Each reset signal generator simultaneously receives two signals, further the digital logic (as or gate) within the reset signal generator operates to generate a basic resetting signal with low-level voltage, which will be transmitted to each high-speed PCI device, such that each high-speed PCI device can be used to operate the initialize action of the basic resetting according to the basic reset signal. The computer system can enter the normal operation state after all components are finished the initialize action.

If some high-speed PCI device falls into endless loop after the following operating process, or can't be normal coupled to the north bridge in the other factor, or can't be unable waked up from STR mode. If the condition of the above-mentioned happens, the high-speed PCI device can adopt the technology of the present invention, that will transmit out a basic reset signal with low-level voltage from the corresponding general-purpose output pin above the south bridge, thus the corresponding reset signal generator can generate a basic reset signal with low-level voltage, as shown in the figure during T3 time. The above-mentioned technology can make the corresponding high-speed PCI device to proceed the basic reset action without restarting power, and then the high-speed PCI device can again normal coupled to the north bridge.

Finally, referring to FIG. 6, there is shown of the flowchart of a reset method of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the reset method of the present invention is used on the high-speed PCI device of the system no response or happened error. First, the reset method is proceeding the step 610 that is determining whether the high-speed PCI device exists. If not, it shows that the high-speed PCI device has been already removed and directly ended the reset procedure; if so, it continues to operate the step 620 and the follow up step thereof. Thus, when the high-speed PCI device is removed, the system can avoid always transmitting the command package to the high-speed PCI device in the ignorant condition. If the high-speed PCI device has been already existed actually, the step 610 isn't surely to operate, which can omit according to the condition.

Then the step 620 is proceeding, which transmits a hot reset package to the high-speed PCI device through the corresponding high-speed PCI bus for proceeding the hot resetting action.

Next the step 630 is proceeding that is determining whether the high-speed PCI device is ready through the root port. If so, it shown that the high-speed PCI device has been already normal coupled to the north bridge and directly ended the reset procedure; if not, the step 640 is proceeding, the south bridge generates a triggering signal from the corresponding general-purpose output pin through disposing in advance of a triggering mode that is selected from one software, firmware, hardware and the combination thereof, thus the triggering signal line will turn into the low-level voltage, and then a basic reset signal with low-level voltage will transmit to the high-speed PCI device after the reset signal generator operating such that the high-speed PCI device can proceed the basic resetting action. Therefore, the system can again generate a basic resetting signal for the high-speed PCI device to operate the initialize action without resetting power.

After the basic resetting action is finished, the step 630 will be again detecting to form a circulatory process, which will stop until the high-speed PCI device can be normal coupled to the north bridge. The present technique not only retains the data that is generated by the previously work but also ensures the normal operating for the high-speed PCI device.

In summary, it is appreciated that the present invention relates to a high-speed PCI interface system with reset function and a reset method thereof, that adopts a reset signal generator to generate a basic resetting signal, and which directly transmits to the corresponding high-speed PCI device such that the system can be used to operate the basic resetting action without restarting power.

The foregoing description is merely one embodiment of present invention and not considered as restrictive. All equivalent variations and modifications in process, method, feature, and spirit in accordance with the appended claims may be made without in any way from the scope of the invention. 

1. A high-speed PCI interface system with reset function, comprising: a host controller chipset, comprising at least one root port, used to generate a PCI resetting signal; at least one high-speed PCI device, each of said high-speed PCI devices respectively coupled to said corresponding root port within said host controller chipset through a high-speed PCI bus; and at least one reset signal generator, respectively corresponding with each of said root ports, each of said reset signal generators respectively electricity coupled to said host controller chipset through a PCI reset signal line and a trigger signal line, and electricity coupled to said corresponding high-speed PCI device according to a basic reset signal line; wherein, said reset signal generator for respectively receiving said PCI resetting signal and a triggering signal through said PCI reset signal line and said trigger signal line, generating a basic resetting signal according to the operation of said PCI resetting signal and said triggering signal, sending said basic resetting signal to said corresponding high-speed PCI device through said basic reset signal line, and then commanding said high-speed PCI device to proceed a basic resetting action.
 2. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 1, wherein said triggering signal is generated from one triggering mode of software, firmware, hardware or the combination thereof.
 3. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 1, wherein said host controller chipset comprises a north bridge and a south bridge.
 4. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 3, wherein said root port is placed within said north bridge, and said reset signal is generated by said south bridge.
 5. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 4, wherein said triggering signal is generated from one triggering mode of software, firmware, hardware or the combination thereof.
 6. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 1, wherein said south bridge further comprises at least one general purpose output pin which is corresponding with each of said reset signal generators, and each of said general purpose output pins is coupled to said corresponding reset signal generator through said corresponding triggering signal line.
 7. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 4, wherein each of said reset signal generators is located in a motherboard or said north bridge.
 8. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 1, wherein each of said reset signal generators can be an AND gate.
 9. The high-speed PCI interface system of claim 1, wherein said high-speed PCI device is selected from one of a image processing chip, a sound processing chip, a bridge and a complex root port.
 10. A reset method for using the high-speed PCI interface system, comprising the following steps of: sending out a hot reset package to a high-speed PCI device for proceeding the hot resetting action through a corresponding high-speed PCI bus; determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready, if so, then end; if not, then generating a basic resetting signal to said high-speed PCI device for proceeding a basic resetting action; and determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready, if so, then end; if not, then again generating a basic reset signal to said high-speed PCI device for proceeding said basic resetting action, and forming a circulatory process.
 11. The reset method of claim 10, wherein said reset method further comprises: determining whether said high-speed PCI device exists before beginning as the above mentioned step, if so, then proceeding the following step that is determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready; if not, then end.
 12. The reset method of claim 10, wherein said basic resetting signal is generated from said corresponding reset signal generator in operation of a triggering signal sent by said host controller chipset.
 13. The reset method of claim 12, wherein said host controller chipset comprises a north bridge and a south bridge.
 14. The reset method of claim 13, wherein said triggering signal is generated from one triggering mode of software, firmware, hardware or the combination thereof.
 15. The reset method of claim 14, wherein said south bridge further comprises at least one general purpose output pin which is corresponding with each of said reset signal generator, and each of said general purpose output pins is coupled to said corresponding reset signal generator through said corresponding triggering signal line.
 16. The reset method of claim 13, wherein said root port is located in said north bridge, and said PCI reset signal is generated by said south bridge.
 17. The reset method of claim 12, wherein each reset signal generator is located in a motherboard or in said north bridge.
 18. The reset method of claim 12, wherein each reset signal generator is an AND gate respectively.
 19. The reset method of claim 10, wherein said high-speed PCI device is selected from one of a image processing chip, a sound processing, a bridge and a complex root port.
 20. The reset method of claim 10, wherein said reset method further comprises: determining whether said high-speed PCI device is ready before proceeding said hot reset action. 